The Surprising NFL Shoulder Exercise

The workout the pros use

June 22, 2012

Everyone knows that pro football players lift heavy weights. After all, strength is all about the poundage you can press, right? Not always. Men’s Health adviser David Jack worked out with one NFL team and discovered an awesome shoulder exercise that’s done with just a pair of 2.5-pound weight plates. (Or 5-pound plates if you’re really strong.) It’s called the 3-Way Shoulder Series and it’s courtesy of Mike Morris, former strength and conditioning coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “It’s an absolute burner for your shoulders,” says Jack. “But more importantly, it’ll help improve your shoulder stability long-term, and allow you to lift heavier weights when you do ‘big lifts’ like presses.” (For a strength-building workout like the pros use, check out the NFL Workout,)

So it strengthens the small muscles that keep your shoulders stable, setting you up for huge gains in just about every other upper-body movement. Ready to give it a try? Watch the video to see how to do the 3-Way Shoulder Series with perfect form.

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